Understanding the Soul
by redcloudedleopard
Summary: STORY PUT ON HOLD. Ed encounters a Chimera-like beast held captive in a town. He suddenly hears his mother's voice, which he believes is the projection of the beast's thoughts. He's convinced that Trisha Elric's soul resides in the creature.
1. The Purple Candle

_"See? Even your mother has a teeny bit of knowledge about 'alchemy'." Trisha lifted her nimble but gentle fingers from her son's eyes. The surprise greeted Edward's glimmering golden orbs in the midst of the dimmed room. The boy of ten years marveled at the sight of a lilac light source, resting atop the mantelpiece._

_"Wow…What's it made of? We haven't read up on something like this in Dad's books..," said Ed, refusing to take his eyes off the flame._

_Trisha grinned, "Potassium chloride, or water softener salt." She heard her son going "_oooooo_", which soothed her wonderfully. "But I'm afraid you can't use it to transmute anything." The two chortled in harmony._

_A moment of silence elapsed, but it wasn't _loud screaming silence_, or an awkward pause of any kind. Both mother & son relished nature's night music from outside, not giving a care on how much sound they themselves made indoors on a night like this. Ed's mother lovingly turned him around to face her. She again felt the tug of heartache - the memory of her long-gone husband, Hohenheim -& sought to relieve it or cancel it out with what she was about to pass on to her little boy, "Whenever you think of me, think about this special purple flame too. It may not be as bright as a normal yellow flame - but it will still lead you through darkness."_

_Ed chuckled, then muttered a while later, "I wanna show it to Al!" He'd wake his little brother up, drag him right down here, & share the excitement of beholding the exotic-coloured flame that lent a strange warmth to the house. It was like how comfortable a foothold he found in the realm of alchemy, in spite of its mysteriousness._

_"Ed…wait…"_

_The lad looked at her in anticipation._

_"Promise me something, my little man. Promise me that you & your brother will find your way through any kind of trouble - never, ever give up in trying to live a life you choose." There was the wattage of Ed's smile, bringing to her a tumult of joy. "What about the purple candle?" he asked._

_"Yes, dear. Remember the purple candle. Also remember…that I'll always love you. Think of this flame," she lifted the candle, "& think of my love for you, & there'll always be a way out."_

_A desire beyond sweetness was planted in Edward that very night - to bring infinite joy to his mother in return for her unconditional feelings for & about him. He pondered frequently on how that candle she showed him wielded a _strength_ independent of everything else that existed._

That is…till the day of her death…


	2. Window to a Soul

EAST CITY

Word circulated about East Area Headquarters about something bizarre now occurring in the heart of the city. "There's the likelihood that this points to the work of Shou Tucker," Riza Hawkeye pointed out. She mulled over the information received from a fellow officer that some large fierce-looking animal was trudging through & terrorizing the central marketplace.

Colonel Roy Mustang, with his usual demeanor underneath his unkempt fringe, muttered, "We're heading to the market square immediately. Hawkeye, round up the rest. And I especially need Armstrong's help."

"I'll go get him," said Hughes, "Wherever he is. Probably _strutting_ _his_ _stuff_ in front of them again." True, Major Armstrong was a valuable, helpful assistant, but at the end of the day he seemed to care for no other than himself.

"& I want the Elric brothers down here, pronto," Mustang added. The group dispersed in directions of all sorts, some rushing to grab whatever gear they needed to keep this 'animal' in check.

_In another part of town..._

"What do you think it _is_?" a woman asked her husband. "I don't know, but I'm ready to give it a bash if it comes any nearer," the man beside her brandished his slim but beautifully sharpened axe.

The distant but audible screaming coming from up the walkway was grabbing the attention of many by now. Then came a chilling snarl coming from something on four legs.

"Somebody, DO SOMETHING!" barked a man vehemently.

It approached him with an icy expression before switching the direction of its gaze. This strange beast was the lookalike of a big cat but with _violet_-coloured fur. When it bared its teeth, ivory fangs protruded out of its jaws. Snarling, it continued down the street as if looking for an object of interest. What possibly led it to search in a crowded place like this? Another girl screamed in fright, then withdrew to a tight corner nearby.

Soon one of the men hanging around stepped in the way of the creature, most boldly obstructing it. But he was up against an opponent towering at seven feet - that wielded claws sharp & thin at the tip. The animal was no doubt growling though you couldn't really hear it. It made more sense to say you _felt_ the deep vibrations from its throat…

"Leave this place, you monster," the sturdy man warned, not giving a care whether his words were fathomed or not. It was not long before the cat-like beast darted & sprang. Passers-by began to run without turning back as they heard punching & pounding. The animal had thrown the guy off his feet; now it was looking him in the eye, almost like an attempt to stare him down to death. The man's shirt had torn at one shoulder, stained a little by blood.

"Okay. We got him cornered."

Mustang flicked a hand as his squad got into formation, certainly inclined to hope the team was complete with the presence of Edward & Alphonse Elric. A ring of officers & State Alchemists stretched all around the creature. Hawkeye began, "Listen, guys, this could be another one of those Chimeras created by Tucker - only it could lash out & rip you apart in a split-second." She recalled the insanity that Tucker masked so well under those glasses…Upon discovering how he experimented using his own daughter & dog to make a pain stricken hybrid she was haunted by the field of alchemy itself.

"Spread out around him! Armstrong will try subdue him with a preemptive strike. Next, we bind him with _these_," Mustang urged. "Keep your grip the tightest you can. Move out!" He motioned to his loyal fellow Major with an unbelievable muscle mass. Alex Armstrong charged headlong with a long chain around his waist to start out the fight, ramming against the creature. This was the opening for the man to escape; he ran clumsily out of the ring of officers to safety.

"Hold still, big guy…," Armstrong thundered as he locked arms around his victim's neck. He was to keep at this till his opponent tired out. He would then flip the big cat over & secure the chain around it. His confidence failed him however, for he didn't anticipate the wholly unexpected. "YOWWWW!" he felt a violent rush of heat under his fleshy fingertips. A powerful wave of light blinded him the following moment. When he had tumbled to the floor, he was facing what was a huge figure covered in an inferno! Lilac was the deadly colour of the flames protecting the beast's body.

"My turn," Mustang's voice rang with rare excitement. His specialty turned out to match that of the big cat. Waving both hands in a semicircle he made an fireball out of thin air as his foe watched with snapping, raging olive eyes. The problem with Roy was probably his quickness; the animal was way faster & slashed wildly at him. He had to inch back to prevent getting a long scar across his torso. The anxiety of the onlookers was grew heavier with the suspense, until two sets of footsteps signaled the arrival of two prodigious alchemists.

Mustang looked to the right & exclaimed, "Finally, Ed! We need you to bring this beast down. He just attempted to fry us so _get going_!" This was the time to retreat to a distance & let the Fullmetal Alchemist tackle the situation.

Al laid a hand on his brother's shoulder, "Brother, I have a plan. Major & I can first help you haul him upward, & you could work your magic to trap him in a metal cell."

"Got it," Ed winked.

Armstrong nodded & got into position on the left of Al, & they were off. They grabbed hold of the beast at the shoulders, & just as it threatened to chomp at them, Al started, "Three…" Alex carried on, "Two…one…" Like a loser-to-be in a wrestling match, the cat was flipped onto its back. As it writhed with the impact, there was intensified tension in the murmurs of watchers.

"Go for it, Ed."

"Yes, sir," the Fullmetal Alchemist readied himself. A clap of his hands & he put his palms to the earth. Blue alchemic sparks flashed before everyone's eyes before several metal poles rose from the ground beneath the beast. Al & Alex let go of their opponent in good timing.

No one would quite empathized with the emotions of a tortured animal like Ed now did. His little friend Nina, the abused daughter of Tucker, was gone. She had been misused & was just murdered the day before.

"Now we have some questions to answer. Take it back to HQ & secure it in the basement," instructed Mustang. This wasn't over, though.

All the people drew back suddenly, for the beast let out a great roar & lit up in bright purple fire. The officers marveled at its astounding colour, now unable to lift the huge metal cage because the creature cleverly overheated it. To their horror, the bars of the cell started to _melt_. Soon, even Major Hughes who stood in the back had shouted to the people to clear the area.

Ed was on the alert, "Listen up, you monster. I don't intend to hurt you but I'll certainly play rough if that's what it takes to control your temper." He was careful not to raise his voice, thinking about this animal being in the same shoes as poor Nina. But persuasive as his tone was, the big cat lost control. Bursting through melted steel it snapped at him, body still engulfed in flames.

Is this really a Chimera? thought Ed. He thought of any possible move to make - he chose to jump onto the beast's back! "Whoa! Alright, we'll see if you can throw me overboard…before I…"

"Brother! WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?" cried Al.

"I'll take it from here," Armstrong decided to interject. He then put his alchemic abilities to use. The Major pounded the ground, sending rocks flying up, & gathering the strength needed to hurl them at the creature. He was left panting heavily as he successfully stoned his opponent. Although, perhaps he had overdone it.

The animal hit its head against a block of hard stone before stumbling. It speared Ed with an expression that was haunting.

"_Edward…"_

Its green eyes appeared to gleam.

_Who said that?_ Ed asked himself. The sound of that voice…

The beast remained strong, though it now had a limp in one of its front paws. It was struggling to pull itself up from under the heavy rubble, only it was with a fruitless hope. It wasn't long before it fell limp to the ground, shut both eyes & finally passed out.

"Alex Louis Armstrong is about to show you who's boss," the Major raised a fist to jab into the creature's chest. A deep cut on its head was bleeding, & fast.

"NO! Major, STOP WHAT YOU'RE DOING!" Ed's automail arm halted Armstrong's own. The two stared at each other awkwardly, Armstrong tempted to shove the puny boy aside. "He's right, Major. The beast is weak enough," Mustang concluded. "Box him up. We're shutting him away till we drill some sense into him."

Ed experienced the emotional heavyweight of the terrible memories. Finding Nina's remains in the alleyway. Tucker's revelation of his immoral motives. Finding out how that speaking Chimera was created. This boiled down to the level of pain of a mistreated soul.

Abruptly, he overheard the animal managing to breathe deeply, even with hot blood gushing out its skull.

"_Edward, I have to tell you. Come after me. Please…"_


	3. Common Ground

"Am I being plain delusional, or did I really hear what I heard?" Ed crouched down in front of the massive cage. The beast was resting on its side, head tilted in such a way that he noticed it was caked in dried blood. "If you really have something to say, spit it out now. I don't have all day. I gotta track down Nina's _cursed_ serial killer."

For the next minute, images played yet again in the reel of his thoughts. Painful, yet so addictive. Horrible, but necessary in driving him to bring the little girl's killer to justice. His spirits were rising to agonizing anger once more.

"I am no stranger to pain, either." An intelligent-sounding female voice spoke from in front of him, almost making him jump. But the creature was unmarked by any little movement. Except - its eyes - they fluttered ever so slightly. Ed saw that they were a deep olive green, shimmering with the ruddy light cast by the only lamp in the room.

"Who are you?" he asked, though hesitantly. It was a _she_!

That second, the animal craned her head to him, distressing itself a little because of the injury it sustained. "They called me _Lynxmon_. The _lynx monst_er," its mouth appeared to be moving. Ed repeated the word to himself: Chimera.

"My head, it…_burns_," Lynxmon writhed. Her tone contained rage; the kind you keep with you in your suffering. Suddenly she began to growl, fangs bared, & eyes gaining a bright violet luminosity. Ed watched in awe again as the flames started 'growing' from her body, when he _realized_ it was a mystery worth unraveling:

_The fire. Like the one from the candle. It seemed eons ago when his mother proved that fire could be made in a beautiful purple hue. Her purple candle was one of the select few treasures he & Al wanted to bring along on their journey, after their home was burned down. However, both siblings found it too painful to keep any object that drew in the countless memories of Trisha Elric; memories too vivid to bear. _

A picture of Nina in pain flashed through the Fullmetal Alchemist's mind. A Chimera, let alone any creature given the breath of life, would find the element of pain so foreign even if it had to live with it for years on end. A strong act of his conscience urged him to identify with this beast's wound. "Shhhhh…," he attempted to soothe Lynxmon's tumult. "Let me look into it." While studying her, he ripped a shred of a cloth he brought over, preparing to dress the unsightly scab. Lynxmon's eyes were snapped open by now, looking pretty intimidating. "Now tell me, what brought you here?" asked Ed.

"I ran from them. I've been running from them."

He saw how she'd already melted the lower end of the cage bars. "Who are 'they'? _Was it that wretched Tucker?_ If he's the one at fault, that'd mean he has made another Chimera that can speak!" A bit of colour was driven from his countenance. He gritted his teeth in disgust, "I'll have more reason to get him locked up in the ideal prison cell…"

"I am perfectly happy to engage in earnest conversation, but I'm afraid don't follow," said Lynxmon.

"What?"

"Unlike what you said, I am _not_ a Chimera."

This confused the alchemist for a moment or two. "You're right. It'd make no sense to come anywhere near here if Tucker created you," he concluded. Next he hardened his words, upon remembering the main purpose for his coming, "You said back there that you had something to tell me."

She put on a puzzled expression, propping herself up on her front legs, "Don't know what you're talking about."

"I told you, I don't have eternity to sit here & listen to GARBAGE!" Ed snapped violently, head still drowning in flashbacks of his fight with Tucker. Fixing his hands around the bars of the cage, he stared her down, despite her being so large in size, "You were looking me in the eye & speaking with my mother's voice, urgently saying you wanted to tell me something important."

All they did for the following few seconds was exchange glances. Lynxmon got up on all fours, but still gave no reply. It ached Ed to the bone to hear _something_. Really, few experiences were more amazing compared to hearing the dead speak.

"Answer me! I want to hear you _TALK_!" he rattled the metal.

"I don't know!" she lowered her head but looked up to meet his stare.

"I want to hear _her_ talk," he next whispered. "GIVE ME A DARN REPLY, MOM!" The hot heavy tears were bursting to come out.

She took the threats in too serious a light. It was as fast as a thread could snap; Lynxmon retaliated: her ebony claws shot outward at their target as she snarled. Ed fell back after feeling the dangerous heat her body radiated when she initiated the attack. In the pause that followed, was a strange volatile space. To work at controlling their tempers, both of them inhaled & exhaled. Lynxmon's face softened with time. Ed was appalled the second he picked up that same mellow voice, _"I've come to help you, Edward." _Right away, he fixed his gaze to the beast. Sure enough, she was definitely facing him with those orbs that…oddly…were beginning to look like _hers_. But the big cat's mouth hadn't even twitched. He may well have been hallucinating all the while.

"Enough of this nonsense..," he spat. Forcing back emotion as his eyes welled up, he turned around to exit.

She went to lie down once more, muddled inevitably by questions of all sorts. Maybe if Ed earned more of her trust, she'd explain to him what she was, & why they were on her tail. For a very long time she'd been living this runaway life. One that seemed accidental & non-directional. Even worse, it was probably a life created intentionally, but solely to serve evil purposes. Sadly, she couldn't bring herself to recall the details. Fear enveloped each part of this type of life; after all: she was the last of her kind at this point in time. She would only bear it for so long before she'd either be killed, or her secret got out & brought about more torment.

Her short fuse had gotten the better of her today. Twice. A cloud of guilt bothered her till she finally hung her head, & she decided she'd say it. "Thank you," she mentioned softly, though he was out of the room by then. Perhaps there was another opportunity to make a connection with him. In meantime, she thought it best to sleep on it a little more.

To be more comfortable in the rectangular confines, she used another one of her _alchimal_ (short for 'alchemic animal') abilities - changing form. A glow took over her figure temporarily before her size decreased. In no time was she two & a half feet tall, resembling a cat or rabbit. Her fur was the same pale purple, but unlike the Lynxmon form there were only three dark stripes across her back. Given her far more lightweight frame she could actually walk on two legs if she wished. In this form, she took the name 'Gazimon', apparently meaning _'voracious monster'_. It was a curse to be called so.

Looking down at her claws, which were like thick black needles, she uttered, "We are no strangers to pain." Much of it was comprised of the pain of losing one's identity. Not having a clue to what place you hold on the Earth's face.

* * *

"The investigations are at a standstill. We got no clues & witnesses to go on. Bodies are all sliced & diced but none of us can figure out how he does it such a short time," Hughes told Ed at lunch. The ongoing murder case had been plaguing the city for some time.

Ed worked through a few pages showing info on suspects, "Maybe he killed them somewhere else & then moved the bodies later. There must be a blind spot you're missing here. A car that can hide bodies or-"

"Or maybe this could all be the work of an alchemist," Hughes said, casually munching his little bread loaf.

"Alchemists are NOT cold-blooded MURDERERS!" Ed threatened to slam his food on the table. He wasn't willing to partake of the Colonel's joy.

"Excuse me, sir. Are you Edward Elric?" an officer came to ask.

"Who's asking?" Ed looked up.

"There's a visitor here to see you."

The officer led him out to the front entrance, but in between the pillars or on the steps there was no one to greet Ed. "That's odd..I told her to wait right here," the man scratched his head.

That was when Ed noticed a silver object gleaming on the driveway. It was a screw that looked all too familiar. "Is this…_Winry_?" He matched the screw to those on his automail arm. His childhood friend had travelled quite a distance. But where would she have run off to in the interim? His first guess was a hardware shop downtown, but she wouldn't get carried away so quickly.

"Was there a car stopped here when you left her?" he scrutinized the tyre marks ahead that looked very, very fresh.

"Oh yeah. There are always refrigerated trucks parked here to drop off food -"

"Refrigerated trucks…_where they can hide_ _bodies_…," Ed tensed up. He burst into a sprint to follow those same tyre tracks.

* * *

Gazimon was becoming annoyed with the uneasiness bubbling inside.

_Go find him._

"No, I don't see myself having much to do with him," she whispered audibly back to herself. In her secrecy, she was mad at her lack of self-control.

_He needs protection, for that killer he's after…_

Were these really her inner thoughts? This wasn't the first time she battled with this voice she knew wasn't hers.

_He needs protection that only YOU can offer._

The only way to shut it out: do what it tells you. Or at least, she concluded that she'd trust the power of inner knowing. Just a few electric stun blasts - the special ability woven into her being - & she'd smoothly escape.

* * *

Ed spotted the truck; it was surprisingly light green in colour, not shady or suspicious black, or grey…the alleyway untouched by sunlight disguised its presence from most people.

He proceeded to enter the building that housed the butcher shop…


	4. Connection

_*Some content here is adapted from Episode 8 of FMA, "The Philosopher's Stone"._

* * *

"-as a reward for making it this far, we have a special guest," the butcher called Barry waved a hand. He slid the chain attached to a huge & hanging pig carcass; attached to it with thick chains was also Winry, gagged but still trying to scream. She was a helpless hostage, dragged forward as well with her kidnapper's pulling force. "If you watch just carefully, you might get to see what makes her tick," Barry sneered.

"You sick…," Ed struggled in his chair. Next he demanded a reason why the psychopath was now on an infamous killing spree.

"I suppose it's because I _enjoy_ it," came the lighthearted reply. The butcher liked how Ed's question tended to his twisted passion.

"How could a person murder someone for such a ridiculous reason?" Ed then shouted.

"Because they _can_." There was the sound of a meat cleaver being lifted up the chopping table.

* * *

She successfully found a second hair - with the same colour as the one she stumbled upon on the driveway earlier. Golden blonde colour, just like Edward's. She had her eyesight & scrutinizing skills to thank. The room was growing extremely chilly as Gazimon padded her way through. Her senses were confident as ever so far, leading her all the way from her cage out into the open, then deeper into the city streets & at last into this shady building.

Trudging & almost crawling on four legs, her ears perked up at the echoes some distance ahead. She ran on & on, ensuring she kept a steady silent pace. Noises possibly made by blades could be heard. Followed by a voice that was _panicking_. She broke into a hurried dash.

Instantly she spotted a figure looming eerily over his helpless victim. This man brandished a knife with a blade so thick it _sounded_ heavy. She recognized the smaller person on the ground as Ed immediately; streaks of flowing blood could be seen on his left arm. No doubt, the boy was in astonishing pain. & especially fear.

That didn't discourage her from letting out a fearsome snarl, before spewing a _stun blast _from her mouth. Barry jerked & twitched violently with the electric current, ill rewarded for slashing & injuring Ed. Gazimon planned next to launch a double-leg kick right at the taller man's chest, utilizing the springy power she had in her feet. Her hind claws dug into his clothing, & she backflipped off him in time to dodge his weapon. She managed to disrupt his footing for a good while. "What IS THIS?" she heard the man yell. Ed seized the chance to get back up & flee from his assailant.

Barry shrieked in frustration, shoving Gazimon aside to pursue his other target. He located Ed standing in front of a wall, but with nowhere to escape because there were countless carcasses blocking the sides. The butcher feasted his hungry eyes on the boy, who could do no more than shiver, & raised the cleaver.

"People like you…you make others afraid," someone growled behind him, causing him to turn around. "Let me give you a taste of your own medicine!" Lynxmon's jaws locked onto the front of his apron, & she hurled him backward.

Ed was on his knees by now, looking utterly disturbed, leaning against the brick & shaking. "Are you alright?" the big cat lowered her head to ask of him warmly. Unexpectedly, he darted away from her in a flash. "No, WAIT!" she called after him.

The boy's move was a pretty bad one: Barry had a surprise attack in store for him after springing out from behind more animal remains. However, both of them ended up tumbling to the floor in a struggle. Ed was capable of knocking the cleaver out of the butcher's grip - then he proceeded to strike with his automail blade.

"Don't!" somebody grabbed his shoulder from behind. The very _animal_ fear precipitated so much that Ed whirled around to attack. To his surprise, his blade hit something constructed out of metal.

"I would take more than that to kill me, Brother," said Al from above him. He felt paralyzed, weighed down, & started to sniffle.

Lynxmon dealt Barry a powerful body slam in case he got any closer to the brothers.

"Hey! They're all in here!" an officer was rushing in. The first he saw was the crazed butcher sprawled across the bloody floor. "Don't move!" he ordered Barry. More officers poured in from the same entrance. Winry had her chains loosened by another one of them, but she expressed the most concern for Ed. Seeing him so bogged down & shaken...

"Look, the Chimera!" one officer alerted the party. They all watched as Lynxmon approached a teary-eyed Ed in the middle of the room. "Edward. I'm sorry," they heard her say. Some were appalled at the motion of her mouth, not believing they were witnessing an animal speaking a human language.

He was clearly still terrified of her, anxiety choking his heavy breathing. "This may sting," she bent down, & ran her tongue over the wounds on the boy's arm. After that, she backed slightly to give the brothers more space. But Ed wanted to respond - taking the same injured hand, he reached out to feel Lynxmon's fur. She examined the tears falling off his mortified face, puzzled. Again she decided to let her head go low, for him to stroke her on the snout. For the very first time, she felt a sort of special _connection_ with a human.

"I thought he was gonna kill me. I honestly thought I was gonna die! I was so scared…," Ed stammered, now looking down, "So scared!" He sunk to his knees. Al put one of his large hands over his sibling to show he cared.

* * *

"I think we can lose the chains. She's been behaving well since we let her out in the morning," Colonel Mustang instructed, shifting his gaze from Ed (who stood in front of his desk) to the short creature. The officer unbound the steel ring around Gazimon's neck & front paws before leaving through the door. "Tell us your name," Mustang carried on.

"My name is Gazimon."

The Colonel commented, "You pulled off an impressive feat yesterday: first breaking out of your containment unit, before you helped Edward Elric nab the killer we've been looking for."

She didn't make a sound.

"Do you know where you come from? Who created you?"

Her eyes flashed up to his, "My memory fails me in answering that question."

"Then could you help by telling us _what_ you are?"

"I don't remember either. All I know is I've escaped for some time. They'll want me back. But I know for a fact that there'll be no good turning back to them."

"Is there a certain place you seek? Or a person? Who or what are you looking for to get your questions answered?"

Nothing happened.

"A dead end, I see. I know this will sound rather rushed, but I have an idea on how to branch out from here," Mustang flipped his pen.

"Sir?" Ed asked out of the blue to clarify.

"You will have a new member added to your team, Ed. Gazimon, if you assist Edward in his duties as a State Alchemist, you might uncover clues as to how to retrace your steps. You are to help us to help yourself."

"I agree. Sir," she told him.

"Both of you & Al will perform the same tasks as a single unit. Report to me whatever your findings turn out to be. Simple as that."

* * *

"You must wait here for Edward. He's coming to get you," Hawkeye led Gazimon out to the entrance of HQ. "He won't be long."

A few minutes elapsed & she heard a person coming, "You must be Gazimon." She looked to see a tall armoured figure sit down on the steps beside her. "I'm Al, Edward's younger brother. He says you could transform into a bigger, stronger version of yourself." In truth, she was quite nervous now when it came to conversations.

"It's okay," Al said in a sunny tone, "You _are_ free to talk, you know. Did you know my brother was in danger?"

"I did. I came to help because I felt I had to. Something compelled me to break free & find him."

"I've heard stories of how a person is sometimes destined to cross paths with someone specific. Maybe that's what is happening between you & Brother," said Al.

"Hey." Ed met up with them, a calm expression on his face at last. A giant improvement from the day before.

"Listen, I owe you two things," he crouched down to caress the fur of Gazimon's head, "An apology & a thank you." He began to scratch under her chin, making her purr.

"_I'm happy you're okay, Ed." _He heard it another time. Mom's words. Gazimon wasn't the one talking; both her voice & Lynxmon's were definitely not the same as the one he'd just listened to. How & when would he be able to tie the mystery of hearing his mother to this strange animal?

"She's coming with us, Al. Wherever we go," he smiled.

Al remarked very cheerfully, "Then we're glad that you'll be hanging out with us. We could really use your shape-shifting powers." Gazimon simply eyed him curiously.

"Let's go," Ed concluded. Something else had also brought his spirits up, "The Colonel showed me the Fuhrer's letter stating that I have an official alchemist name. He has declared me to be the _'Fullmetal Alchemist'_."


	5. Fire Burns Out

_YOUSWELL - Six months later_

A welcoming dinner was held for the trio at Youswell's largest inn, for Ed, Al & Gazimon had come to pay a visit & at the same time conduct another inspection on behalf of the State-Military. Some of the folks chuckled lightly, recalling how their town flourished solely because of the Fullmetal Alchemist's selfless act nearly half a year back. Gazimon & Al had aided in cornering Lyra & rescuing Kyle - the inn owner's son - from the then unstable building. It was the first time the locals had seen an animal working under the authorities, & they were fascinated to the point that they let their kids pet & stroke Lynxmon.

"YAY, GAZIMON!" squealed a group of children in delight, before they scooted over to the inn's main door. "Gazimon, can you make yourself taller?" asked one of them, a boy named Alfred. "Please?"

Some bright light encircled her, & her height stretched till she towered above even the men in the room.

"Yee-HAH! I wanna ride her FIRST!" shrieked Evonne, another one of the kids. Willingly, the huge cat bowed down for her to hop on, & she dug her heels quickly into Lynxmon's sides to fire up the ride. Haden, Alfred's brother, whined in a high-pitched tone for his turn to be taller than everyone else.

"Hi, Mr. Al!" Alfred turned to greet the suit of armour standing close by.

"Oh, hello. It's fine to call me Al. I'm not that old," he replied politely. Next he picked up some food among the delicacies laid about on the nearest table, "Hey Lynxmon, catch this!"

She caught the titbit in her jaws, munching away happily whilst Evonne muttered to her to 'giddy-up' about the wide space.

"That's a good choice. My famous mung bean pastries loved by everyone in this town!" someone spoke to Al. It was the inn's comedian of a cook, boasting a rather smart-looking hat to distinguish himself from the crowd.

"More like _infamous_…," the guy next to him snorted, "they taste like you left the sugar to rot for years."

"Sugar doesn't rot, you moron," the cook thought it time to knock him with his wooden spoon.

"What? It's constructive criticism!" the man barked back.

Moments later, Lynxmon hurried back to where Al was. "Al, have you noticed?" she alluded to Ed's general mood throughout the day. Both looked to Ed, who was in the middle of a discussion with the inn owner at the grand table. The feline's ears twitched as she caught a gist of the exchange of words between Ed & the rest. There was circulating conversation related to Liutenant Yoki, the State, not forgetting Ed's progress in finding the Philosopher's Stone.

"Yeah. Brother acts like this sometimes," Al sighed. "I can give a good guess why he can go on sulking for days. I feel the same too, but as for me, the absence of a body makes it easier to cope with."

"Well, we haven't had luck retracing my steps either," Lynxmon shook herself from head to tail to loosen up. There was absolutely no conflict between her & Ed's sibling; the two got along well just as one eagerly watches out for a good friend.

"I don't think that's so bad. At least, you don't need to look for something that almost no one knows about. Apparently, for Brother & I to find the Philosopher's Stone, we have to find the right books & people, all at the right time." In a friendlier manner he added, "Besides, you've gotten a lot of praise from everyone me meet. Brother said he believes you're serving a great purpose."

* * *

"Talk to me," Ed mumbled, "Even if it isn't through Gazimon. You don't need to be in the body of a cat, let alone _anyone_ to say the best things a person could." The words trickled very slowly. "Why don't I hear from you anymore?"

"Something up?" there was the faint but distinct padding of a familiar friend's paws coming up to the balcony.

"No. Nothing," he hung his head.

"Can't fool me. I heard you mumbling from inside."

"Hmph."

She reared up on her two hind paws, resting her front ones on the balcony's smooth wooden edge. The structure was strong enough to take her weight, & beyond it one could catch a lovely view of the mining town which at present made exponential profits. "Your eyes had a strange light today. Too serious for my taste," she purred. "& you've been keeping your head low." When he didn't acknowledge, she stressed on the subject further, "You should at least speak to Al about it if you're uneasy sharing it with me."

"It's about that second voice you have. The one I hear coming from you when you aren't speaking," he said.

"Do you mean those times when you look at me funny?"

He tried laughing, "Probably right." From the corner of her eye she noticed an improvement - his expression was a little shallower & shifting still. Ed added, "That voice was my mother's. Al & I haven't told you this, but…she died. Some time back."

"She must hold a special place in your heart," she gazed at the horizon to give him a bit more privacy. "So what were you monologue-ing about?"

"I haven't heard her for so long."

The big cat was puzzled, "How would you hear the voice of someone who isn't standing here with you?"

"Maybe you don't understand…What makes up a human being is a body, a mind & a soul. The first two are purely physical, &…rot away…when the person dies. But the _soul…_there's probably no one who's figures out how it works. Some say it can wander to a place no one can see, others say the opposite - that it's wiped off the world. Just like that."

"Does a soul still have a voice, even after leaving its body?"

Gradually he whipped his head in her direction to stare, for her question was very appalling. Out of the blue. Intelligent, even. "Maybe your mother wants to reach you - though you can't see her," she filled in the silence.

"How can I know it's not my own damn mind playing the fool?"

She had to give him additional room to rant. "I did not tell you before, but I too have heard a voice. From inside," her voice soothed the air.

His eyes locked with hers as he craned his head around. The emotion carved into the lines of his face mirrored hers from before. "She is the best guide I have to make choices. It was because of her that I saved you from that killer in the cold place that reeked of blood & carrion," said Lynxmon. "This voice…is not mine."

"Then tell me what she's trying to say!" A searing stream of tears. Ed was sick of allowing this to occur too frequently.

"There's nothing," he got a reply. The very depressing kind.

"I've waited too long! I simply can't buy it that she's…never coming back!" By this time he sobbing most unevenly, heaving painful groans without words. "She's gotta say something! ANYTHING!" Eyes shut & face buried in both hands, he sniffed a few times in that small sphere of pity.

"Ed, it's been a long time since I last listened to her. But I hear your pain loud & clear. Everyday I sense it, & feel it, & become sad just like you." She transformed back into her smaller self. "Let me try make it go away," Gazimon balanced on the wooden plank with ease, walking to him, then rubbed her head against his temple. She felt his hand close in around her shoulder, trying to bring her nearer to him. & nearer to the heart of his suffering.

_The second half of this chappie was inspired by a powerful song, "More Than This" by Peter Gabriel._


	6. Mistakes and Glories

_Present day - About three years later_

_Finding Dr Marcoh, the Crystal Alchemist previously gone AWOL, was a boon to both the Elrics & Gazimon. Ed would fire away with questions pertaining to his research on the Philosopher's Stone, whereas the brothers could hopefully get him to delve into resources supplying info about Gazimon's roots._

_But Basque Grand, Brigadier General of the State-Military & also known as the Iron Blood Alchemist, had confiscated all Marcoh's notes relevant to the Stone. Yet in another twist of events he was murdered shortly after by a shady character by the name of "Scar". This man was clad in a beige jacket & dark pants, & wore sunglasses for whatever reason. White & grey spiky hair covered his head, & his face was long with sharp features. He seemed to express utter dislike for anyone with alchemic powers, bloodthirsty & enraged. _

_Gazimon had tried preventing Grand's death, but Scar had given her minor injuries in the face after he grabbed her muzzle. A red light had suddenly emanated from his right arm, & in an explosion of energy her skin was burnt; crimson fluid flowed out from corners of her mouth & forehead. Ed went pale as a sheet at the ghastly sight._

_Scar could still track down & corner Ed, Al, Lynxmon & Marcoh in a tunnel, despite them fleeing for cover. As his mysteriously tattoo-ed right arm began to glow again (as it did before he used it to decompose Grand), Major Alex Armstrong had appeared to protect the group._

"What is it, pal?" Ed queried, putting a hand on her cheek. He worriedly examined the dried blood that had oozed out earlier. His four-legged friend had both ears pinned back, as if in protective fury.

"I have to turn around." She growled.

Al objected, "You can't! Major Armstrong can deal with Scar alone. He issued an order for us to escape, not a _suggestion_!"

Lynxmon began inching forward in the opposite direction, "If Scar blows Major Armstrong to bits, he'll have to rub shoulders with me. I can't let him do it again - what he did to Brigadier General. & what he did to me." Her unconditional respect for a superior as obnoxious as Basque puzzled the others. Ed in particular didn't think the same way.

"You heard what Scar said! He would rather have your head before he slays anyone else!" Al protested some more. But she rocketed off. In no more than three seconds was she a blur disappearing after the corner of the alleyway.

"Bad kitty! _BAD KITTY!_" yelled Ed, ever so frustrated, stricken with paralyzing fear. He meant it very seriously this time round, though 'bad kitty' would be his nickname for her when they were simply having fun (if there were no duties to carry out under Colonel Mustang).

"She's too fast," sighed Al, "But I think Major Armstrong would convince her to stay away. Brother, what did you think Scar meant when he said she was 'a cursed weapon'?" It was an interesting question as Ed recalled the dialogue he'd heard between Scar & Grand outside Marcoh's house.

_Scar spat, "This 'pet' you have under your State Military is nothing more than a cursed weapon. Those devils used them to bring terror to a people already stricken with famine & poverty. We didn't have to ask for yet _more_ trouble on the military's part." He jabbed a finger at the large beast flanking the Fullmetal Alchemist._

_Grand merely answered, "I don't care what you have to say, for those creatures were nothing less than an asset. They were the fastest method that helped in controlling YOU monsters." _

_& it was this sentence that sparked Scar's anger, costing Grand his own life._

_

* * *

_

"You're facing the technique that's been passed down the Armstrong line for generations - that's hardly a blessing…," Alex Louis Armstrong asserted himself. His deep voice echoed far down the tunnel, which somehow gave him more confidence.

He launched his rock-hard fist in Scar's direction, but missed.

"NEXT SHOT!" he made a second attempt. He'd smashed part of the tough brick walls, but not his target.

"That's why I wanted to track you down after Fullmetal, Crystal, & that _filthy_ _beast_ were finished..," sneered his adversary, whose body was lithe indeed. Major did admit once how he blamed his muscle mass or heavy build for slowing him down in a fight occasionally.

"Miss me?" came a hiss. Something huge had a bash at Scar, throwing him totally off his feet. A pool of light then surrounded Lynxmon as she changed form once again.

"Gazimon? I thought I told you all to make your escape!" barked the Major.

"I had a tingling feeling that you'd be badly hurt."

"Nonsense! No one of the Armstrong bloodline just gets 'badly hurt'!"

She used her _stun blast_ ability a number of times, spewing brilliant purple sparks from her mouth. One of them hit Scar spot on, charring the clothing around his left shoulder.

"You could at least transmute yourself back into Lynxmon to save me some pressure," Alex suggested.

She shook her head, "I'm faster if I'm smaller, & harder to hit." He silently agreed, for he observed the scabs running down her face. He wasn't there when she got injured, but wagered it must've been terrible.

Gazimon made a leap & slashed, but missed again. Armstrong decided he'd put in more speed, less strength. This time his fist came in contact with Scar - though only enough to knock off his shades. However, the Major stopped short upon locking eyes with the peculiar man, "Brown skin & red eyes…you must be from -"

Scar lashed out dangerously fast. His swift punch met with the brickwork as Armstrong dodged.

"But the God your people kneel to forbids alchemy," Alex pointed out. "I see a rationale - alchemy can be described in three steps. Determine the make-up, then break it down & rebuild it into something else. You're stopping at step two, so you're safe by a loophole like killing for a religious cause. _But murder's murder: you're still an alchemist_!"

"I only do what this arm instructs me, contrary or not! Leave it to the prophets to interpret God's will!" Scar retorted, red irises flooded with more rage. He proceeded to unleash a killing blow in Alex's direction.

That was when Gazimon obeyed the Major at last, morphing into higher form & clamping her deadly jaws on his heavily tattooed arm.

It was all too quick, even for Armstrong. He heard an even louder smashing of the wall on the right along with a chilling animal roar, followed by crumbling. Finally, footsteps of his opponent dashing away into darkness. The enormous pile of rubble was weighing him down & burying him alive.

The minutes went by rapidly. "Colonel, we found him!" one of the officers lifted a piece of concrete.

"Come on. Talk to me, Major. What happened?" It was Mustang, now crouching down to meet his eyes. Alex was filled with a weird emotion that stopped him from speaking.

"Close call," he heard Liutenant Colonel Hughes climbing down the ladder into the tunnel, "This is turning into a real mess…"

"What about Grand?" Mustang asked him.

"We found him on the road a few blocks up," replied Hughes.

"But he was the Brigadier General! He was an expert in hand-to-hand, right?" someone said.

Hughes motioned to his best friend to hear his low murmur, "Scar's M.O. No doubt about it." Mustang gave a little nod.

"That man…He is an _Ishbalan_, I'm sure of it. The red eyes," the Major spoke up. His head hung in shame, "I'm sorry, Liutenant Colonel Hughes. You sent me direct orders, & I failed."

"Well, well, there's a decent break in the case here," Mustang made a conclusion. "So now we know why he's killing us." The Ishbalan race: the people who detested alchemy, & were at war with anyone practising it.

"Have a search party…to look for Gazimon…," Alex added. His colleagues threw him looks of astonishment. His voice dropped to an inaudible whisper, "She saved me."

"That idiot _kitty_…," Ed mumbled. Where was she? He kicked a stone out of the way as he, Al & Marcoh paced about the wet street. Children were playing in a courtyard nearby.

Sometimes you never realized a good thing till it was gone.

* * *

"_Hush, hush, little creature," the woman with dark violet eyes held her by the scruff of her neck. The steel trap was literally locked around Gazimon's muzzle, painfully digging into the skin. Some of the wounds caked in dry blood - they were open & gaping again, raw & exposed._

"_Can I eat it? Can I? Lust, can I?" a friend of the woman, in the same room, begged._

"_I can't promise you, Gluttony. Right now, we hold this _thing_ prisoner till we get what we want from Elric," was her velvet reply. "& we even have time to have that Sewing-Life Alchemist twiddle around with this creature's genetic make-up…"_


	7. Violent Love

_- Note: Agnes Tucker is an OC, though she's only mentioned & doesn't appear in the fic. -_

_**Roy **_

_A big fat lie we dogs have to bear with. A fact nonetheless, but one that actually tarnished the image of the State Military. This explains why we had to lock it away, or else. But it wasn't as if we had to keep this secret from a powerful public figure. Besides, it was for the good of the Elric brothers…we wouldn't trust them to keep their mouths shut about it. _

_Following the Ishbalan war, the Fuhrer ordered us to put zips over lips about the uproar we stirred up - after one of us - Shou Tucker - created what was more than just some talking Chimera one fine day. The result? An alchimal, short for 'alchemic animal'. The very first one he created was female as well, & he named her Saberdramon. He'd even planned an alchimal naming system - you'd no doubt use 'mon', short for 'monster' at the end, & shortened one word describing the monster's attributes at the beginning._

_Apparently Tucker had as his subject a mere raven with ebony feathers to create Saberdramon. In the creation of an alchimal, you would do more than just combine two different living creatures & weave them together into a single being. No, you go well against boundaries to get the desired product. _

_Why we only used alchimals for a short time were because they were desperately needed - it was us versus countless Ishbalans, not even including the women & children who'd simply flee instead of fight. There was more behind it. The rest of us under the State only discovered later that Tucker had taken the life of his sister, Agnes, in the process, collecting her blood in order to fill a container. Then, one of Marcoh's fake Philosopher's Stones was placed in the same blood, under a specific temperature & with a specific consistency and viscosity. The liquid was fed to the raven gradually…& you'd probably get what resulted. Not the best food for one's conscience. _

_Because of the power contained in even a fake Stone, what it does is drastically augment the animal's natural traits & abilities. Saberdramon had heightened eyesight that was handy in battle. I remember her tearing apart the limbs of the Ishbalans she swooped down upon. Yet…what marveled us the most about Tucker's extra special monsters - they spoke crystal clear. With a human mind, & human intelligence. The rest was all animal, be it the emotion of fear, aggressive instinct… __**When the war ended, it was decided that alchimals were regarded as a second sin sitting comfortably beside the taboo of Human Transmutation.**_

_So when I first looked down at Gazimon from my desk I could only guess right. With sharp-eyed (not to mention sharp-tongued) Fullmetal in the same room, it wasn't so easy to mask my astonishment. Alchimals were the deadly mish-mash of the kinds of ingredients you would only misuse. Ed's new partner was a mystery indeed - how had she wound up in town? After we killed off the other alchimals right after the war? So far she's been harmless, even helpful. But what if there were more out there? Perhaps someone was genetically engineering more of them. Heck, what if they could do more than change form, the way she did?_

_**Edward **_

"_Brother, don't let the thought control you. We can still hope she's out there somewhere," squeaked Al._

"_Hmph," I did nothing but grunt. I'd prefer a change in subject, but the train journey back to Central was the noisier kind. Most of the way you couldn't even hear yourself or the person in front of you or the one right next to you. You couldn't even have some shuteye. But above the racket stirred up by the engine I could still see clearly what happened three years ago:_

_Barry the Chopper was a safe distance from us, for officers had got him cornered. My eyes were superheated with tears, some of them already streaming down my cheeks. "This may sting," I heard Lynxmon tell me. Scared as hell I was as her face inched nearer to my shivering self. I didn't expect the unexpected, however - she licked the cuts on my arm, as if to clean the wounds my attacker's cleaver had left behind! Her action helped diminish the pain eating away at my skin. Plus her breath warmed me up nicely, each time she exhaled. I failed to utter any damn words but wanted to thank her in some way. I stretched out the same arm, still breaking down & sobbing, to rub the soft fur on her chest. She let me stroke her snout later on for she appeared to enjoy it. It's just figurative, but that day I looked up to a new friend as I'd look up to a motherly kind of idol._

_Another memory:_

_What Mom usually did when tucking us into bed was to sit at an angle beside our pillow, staring out the window. I'd pretend to be asleep sometimes, just to try read her mind or expressions through half-shut eyelids. As I guessed, she would be thinking of Dad. Anyway, never mind about that idiot. Her left hand would next travel to my blanket slowly & calmly, before lifting it into a better position to cover more of my neck. But get this - Gazimon would do this occasionally, especially after a day of particularly hard work serving the State. Then she'd snuggle up against me to hit the sack. It wasn't simply a weird cat habit or anything like that. I found myself connecting the dots.._

_& another:_

I remember grazing my automail leg against some nasty concrete, whilst rushing to the hall as we were late for an assignment. The friction was so much it even tore through my pants! But who had super reflexes to break my fall, preventing any worse kind of injury? You guessed it. Gazimon was like a silly little cushion as I tumbled; I could've crushed her if I wanted to. She sniffed to see whether my other leg was fine, then crawled under to help me back up. Al was a little slow behind & had missed all the fun.

_& another:_

_During a sparring session with Al, Lynxmon knocked me over from behind once. She was NOT supposed to do that! I voiced out one of my favourite lines I taunted her with, "Bad kitty!" From then on we changed our training styles - three players, all against each other. It felt more like a fun ol' game, where the only rule that really governed & stuck was "survival of the fittest". Our skills did get better, especially since my brother & I were each up against a two hundred & fifty pound giant cat. Wait till I go on about riding her to get to places fast. She's even strong enough to carry Al's weight. Nothing would be cooler than bonding with a strange monster you encountered randomly in town. _

_There are so many more experiences - don't care how big or little - which I wouldn't trade for others._

_The bottom line is hard to recite, but I obviously missed her._


End file.
